1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus for color highlighting. More particularly, it relates to a simple transfer apparatus for color developing a pattern or an image, for example by a simple procedure on a laminate transfer sheet.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The idea of producing a color image by causing part of a laminate sheet to be transferred onto a pattern or an image has been known to the art. Methods for effecting this transfer have been disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,088,402 and 4,006,267, for example. These methods of transfer generally comprise fitting a laminate sheet on an object for reception of a transferred image by means of a fixing roll or iron of a laminator or copying machine. The laminate sheet is manufactured by forming on a base film (A) such as of polyethylene terephthalates a release layer (B) of waxy resin by the gravure printing technique, forming on the release layer (B) a colored layer (C) produced by preparing a mixture composed of resin, solvent, dye, and pigment and adjusted to a specified color, applying the mixture with a gravure machine, and drying the applied coat of the mixture by heating, optionally forming on the colored layer (C) an aluminum layer (D) produced by the vacuum evaporation of aluminum, and further forming on the aluminum layer (D) an adhesive layer (E) produced by the deposition of adhesive agent.
The conventional methods of transfer which are based on the operating principle described above effect the transfer by superposing a laminate sheet on an image-carrying fabric or paper and applying heat or pressure thereon with a heating or pressing device. In either of the methods, therefore, the works involved are complicated. Where a colored image is desired to be produced by partial transfer as onto a New Year's postcard, for example, there is generally employed a practice of fixing a piece of laminate sheet cut to a suitable size on the relevant portion of the postcard as with adhesive tape and then thermocompressing the laminate sheet on the postcard. In this case, the works involved are further complicated.
An object of the present invention, therefore is to provide an improved apparatus for color highlighting.
Another object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for color highlighting which produces a color picture of a pattern or an image by a simple procedure on a laminate transfer sheet.